As for Pond's, the acne clearing gel is highly coveted as it is said to really get rid of acne very fast.

Pond's formulated an innovative combination of Thymol and Terpineol (TT), for the New Pond’s Acne Clear product range. Imbued with revolutionary Lock + Clear technology, the new Pond’s Acne Clear is the first in the world to lock powerful acne-fighting Active Thymo-T Essence, which penetrates deep inside bacteria cells to clear acne from the root. This breakthrough helps acne-prone women have clearer, smoother skin in as fast as three days. “At Pond’s, we aim to develop products so we can equip Filipinas with credible, clinically-proven solutions and information that combat the changing environment,” shared Mian Datu-David, Unilever Philippines’ Marketing Director for Skin.

The new #PondsAcneClear Facial Foam and Leave-On Expert Clearing Gel are now available at all leading drugstores, supermarkets and department stores in the Philippines. Pond’s Acne Clear Facial Foam is available in 2 tube sizes: 50g – P 85; 100g – P 155, as well as 2 sachet sizes: 10g – P 15; 4g – P 6, while Pond’s Acne Clear Leave-On Expert Clearing Gel is available in 20g – P 180.

I am very happy about the new products they have because they are more legit-ly acne directed now. I like that the facial scrub is now a facial foam, which I think is a more agreeable formulation in actually getting rid of acne. I think the brand was sensitive to the complaints of many people that the former range just made their acne worse with the harshness of the scrub. I've been on the foam for a few days now and I am loving how gentle it is, yet reminiscent of a very scientific concoction as it smells strongly of like salicylic acid. It doesn't have the usual Pond's powdery fresh fragrance.

The facial wash is foamy, dreamy, and honestly a good makeup remover. I use it with a manual face brush and everything gets off in one wash. I like how deep of a clean it gives. I am so happy about the new formula, actually. I am so happy about Sample Room doing this because honestly I initially thought that this was just another marketing campaign to revive interest over the same product. Having been able to try the new facial wash really opened me up to the fact that this really is a reformulation, and one tastefully done for the better.

The acne gel is also the same in terms of fragrance. I have two pimples right now and I am still studying the product further so I will be back to update this post once I have legit content to talk about.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Homaaaygash, I still can't believe I'm, actually talking about this nor presenting this at all. I am still in shock to have found legitimately near exact dupe formulae for the Kylie Lip Kits I own, namely Koko K, Candy K and Posie K. As you may have known, earlier this year, Maybelline released a stellar 5 shade nudy pinks collection in the form of their Rosy Mattes. During that time, I was already hoping that the nudy pinks would match my lip kits as I got Kylie's pinkish shades, but they did not. The Rosy Mattes were too pink and too mellow. Fast forward to this month and Maybelline releases their Creamy Mattes Brown Nudes edition alongside their big reveal of Liza Soberano as their endorser. Of course, this breaks the internet and Maybelline salesladies have started to dream of these lipsticks. During my product photography of the Creamy Mattes, I was genuinely hoping that there'd be something in the 5 shades that'd look like my lip kits, but still, nothing looked alike (I am guessing that they look like the browner shades in Kylie's collection). Until it dawned on me that the answer might not be in just one shade. A rainy afternoon turned into a swatchfest experiment extravaganza, that by the time I came up with my ideas, I was a mess already.

So I am so proud to say that amidst all the photoshopping the photo above has received, it has just been over all the decorations and logos I have added. I have not photoshopped my face in any manner for this cover photo, most especially not the lips. I really have Koko K on the left side of my lips and Maybelline combo's on the right side. No photoshopping, no color correction, no bulls*** (this is the most daring word I have said in the eons this blog has existed)-- just real dupes you can rely on and execute immediately.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Okaaaay, lemme clarify things here. You may have been seeing Aveeno in some selected stores, but this, as far as I understand, has been through the efforts of the retailer chains actually bringing in the product for sale in their own stores due to immense demand. Now, what has happened, is that Johnson and Johnson is officially bringing the brand in, meaning that they will now be distributing Aveeno through all relevant sales channels nationwide. So it's not just a handful of retailers bringing stocks of Aveeno in for sale in their own stores, it's already J&J bringing the whole brand in so that distribution can now be wide enough and beyond just a handful of retailers.

Friday, August 26, 2016

AVEENO®, NATURE’S SECRET TO NATURALLY
BEAUTIFUL SKIN IS NOW IN THE PHILIPPINESMANILA, Philippines, 24 August 2016 – AVEENO®, the no. 1 body lotion formula in the
US, recently announced its official arrival in the Philippines, giving more Filipino women the
opportunity to experience the naturally beautiful skin that only AVEENO® can give.

More than the largest organ in the body, the skin is also the best storyteller of a woman’s
journey: what she’s been through, where she’s been, how well she takes care of herself, and
what she keeps close to her heart. With AVEENO®'s Active Naturals® ingredients, they
can have the confidence to bare their #naturallybeautiful skin stories.

For more than seventy years, AVEENO® has been harnessing the power of all-natural and
organic ingredients such as colloidal oats and combining them with breakthrough sciences to
deliver skincare solutions that effectively cleanses, moisturizes, and protects all skin types
while being gentle enough for everyday use. Colloidal oatmeal is a rich mixture of skin transforming
components found in whole oat grains, which has long been
known for its beautifying effects. It contains five vital nutrients
that benefit the skin: proteins, anti-oxidant, vitamins,
polysaccharides and lipids that relieve the skin from dryness and
provide overall protection from itch and irritation.

AVEENO®’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion and Body Wash leave
skin looking and feeling healthy and nourished, providing up to
24 hours of long-lasting moisture with one single application for
both products. In just two weeks of continuous usage, it is
clinically proven that your skin will have stronger resistance from
dryness, scaling, and roughness. Dermatologists highly
recommend fragrance-free and hypoallergenic skin care
products like AVEENO® to remedy such skin conditions.

“AVEENO is backed by years of research to ensure that we deliver on our promise of providing deeply satisfying skin wellness solutions,” said Johnson & Johnson Philippines
Senior Brand Manager for AVEENO®, Paul Dizon. “By combining nature and science, we
are able to help women restore their skin’s health and reveal the most beautiful versions of themselves.”
For its official launch in the Philippines, Johnson & Johnson invited proud AVEENO® users
Nikki Gil-Albert, Christine Jacob-Sandejas, and Jaymie Pizzaro to join the celebration and
share their own naturally beautiful skin stories.
Every woman has her own skin story to tell, just take it from these three naturally beautiful
ladies. See the AVEENO® Active Naturals® difference and make your own story
#naturallybeautiful.AVEENO® is available in all leading supermarkets and drugstores nationwide. For more
information, visit www.facebook.com/AveenoPH or go to www.aveeno.com.ph

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Japan has yet made a product that we never knew we couldn't live without until now.

Kanebo will surely see its sales soar from here on with their newly released Evita Beauty Whip Soap. They claim that this will be the debut of rose foam on adult women's faces.

The description roughly says "Make everyday's facial wash time more comfy...Make face washing more fun...it is with this mindset that we bring you this new science. From "Premium high end care" brand" Evita, a simple and pleasurable rose shaped foam producing product was born.

Watching it is soooo satisfyiingggg

Even the TVC is soooo satisfying to waaatch

I have yet to find out how much this costs and where it can be purchased because the way I understand and translate the information on the website, the product has yet to be released...

Eyebrowdery is a service wherein the eyebrow master uses a microblade to make many strokes on the eyebrow area in order to mimic brow hairs. It's not like the pentel pen kind of tattoos we've seen with our aunts and moms.

What is done in the actual procedure?

In the actual procedure, with my experience, Jane (eyebrow overlord at Fleek) cleaned off my eyebrow makeup, shaved the sparse and stray hairs and shaped my brows, anesthesized them (using topical anesthetic cream only, no injectables), did the measurements and outline for the eyebrow she'll be drawing in, did the actual eyebrowdery (i.e. microblafding), left the ink to sit for 15 minutes, wiped the ink off with a moistened sheet of tissue, and did final retouches.

How does eyebrow tattoo differ from eyebrowdery?

Eyebrow tattoo usually refers to the henna using tattoos that were done on our aunts. The technology is older, so the final result looks like a pentel pen mark on the face. The henna turns green or purple over time. Eyebrowdery or eyebrow stranding or cashmere brows refers to the newer kind of treatment that allows for manual drawing of individual lines on the brow area in order to mimic brow hairs.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

I finally got it dooone!!! I have been wanting to get an eyebrowdery since the start of last year, but I just haven't done so because I've been soooo busy that I haven't had the chance to get it done. I finally got it done the other day at Fleek Eyebrow and Beauty Clinic when Jane offered to sponsor my eyebrowdery experience!

I was initially scared to get it done when she contacted me because in between the time I wanted to get it done last year and now, I have heard of many botched eyebrowdery jobs done by very popular clinics. One family friend in specific shelled out sooo much money just for the eyebrow place to not ask for her opinion and to just get on with the job and use an ink too dark, do eyebrows so thick and leave the eyebrows unfortunately so unevenly. This is a top clinic that did this, which is why I got super scared. Thankfully, Jane reassured me that in her clinic, there is no culture of self-worship and she really seeks out the opinions and thoughts of all clients to ensure that the work done is what the client desires.

And eyebrowdery is the term I used here because this treatment is not to be treated the same as the henna eyebrow tattoos our moms and aunts have. The eyebrow tattoos of our aunts are the ones that use henna, hence the color change to green or purple. Theirs are the ones that have been there on their eyebrows for decades and counting. Henna tattoos indeed last for like 20 years or more, so with the old style tattoo what you'll get is what you'll be living with in the next few decades or so. This treatment, on the other hand, uses vegetable pigments and lasts only about two years, with the pigment just losing strength in color instead of changing to green or purple as time elapses. Some people begin to need retouches at six months, some at one year, and I think there are those whose skin conditions can make the eyebrowdery last for two full years. No one can fully predict one's skin retention till the eyebrowdery is done, and people have different opinions on what counts as faded enough to need a retouch, so this is why I can't answer the exact time frame it'll last on someone.

Friday, August 19, 2016

Yaaaay, more Apple products!!! Uptown Mall in BGC is relatively new, so it's nice to see the place get filled up with more and more stores. Of course, as with any other mall, it needs to have an Apple Reseller. I personally have been a Mac user since 2009 so I understand the need for an Apple Reseller in every mall. Every Mac user will know that a Mac product will not stand alone and will need accessories, spare parts and other attachments.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

L'Oréal graciously sent over this suuuper pretty box with a towel, bath robe, L'Oréal hair oil and two boxes of hair color inside. It was sooo thoughtful of them to have sent over the robe and towel with my initials embroidered on them! I actually didn't use these in my actual dye job as they were too pretty to get soiled.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Sample Room has blessed us with the secret to #GandaraHair, and of course that is through no other than the NEW Head and Shoulders!

The scientists behind Head and Shoulders took zinc particle size seriously this time as they saw the effects of how smaller particle sizes can deliver better experiences for sunscreen users. They realized through their research that smaller sized Zinc particles had an impact in contributing to improved scalp and hair conditions. These smaller particles are 8x smaller to eliminate coarse particles, provide an improved and finer lather, seep into the areas where the dandruff-causing fungi are to combat them, and wash dirt off from the hair better.

To add, new research from Head & Shoulders presented at the World Congress of Hair Research

shows that the fungus that causes dandruff is also responsible for oxidative stress in the scalp skin. What this means is that this fungi makes even virgin hair already damaged from the start, so the person lives a cycle of bad and damaged hair because the hair strand is already attacked from the start of its growth. People kinda think that it's the hair itself that needs to be addressed, and often overlook the scalp as an important part to take care of.

“Often people are very diligent in caring for their hair and neglect their scalp and, in many cases, it’s because they don’t know how to properly care for the scalp.”

-Dr Lefkowicz, Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology

What the new Head and Shoulders wishes to do with its refined formulation is to enhance scalp health so that people need not live lives where their hair is already damaged from the start due to dandruff causing fungi (which in turn are causing stress on the scalp). The new formulation aims to do three main things:

1.) CLEANSE - With gentle cleansing agents the smaller ZPT particles create a rich lather that is deeply indulgent, whilst being effective in offering best in class flake reduction.

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

All hail our queen!!! Yaaaaas my queeeen!!! I cannot tell you all my feels about Liza being the newest Maybelline girl. You may have known in my blogging of our past encounters that she is just soooo beautiful inside and out. She really is a class act!!!

So to celebrate the arrival and to welcome the new Maybelline girl, the Maybelline team invited members of the media, press, and bloggers to come together at the Green Sun to witness this grand moment in history. They also took the time to unveil their latest product innovations for this month.

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

From Maybelline New York's #1 Lipstick Collection, The Creamy Mattes by Colorsensational, flaunt a modern take to the 90's brown lip craze with the all new Creamy Matte Brown Nudes. Formulated to give a creamy matte finish that lasts for hours, achieve a bolder, more sophisticated look that would surely make heads turn!!!

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

Manila, 2016 –When 2016 has barely gotten underway, it’s already
been a big year for the teen icon, Liza Soberano.

Luckily for Liza and for
us, the fun is just the beginning: the actress and model – who has risen to
become one of the most iconic teen stars in the Philippine industry today with
contracts and starring roles left and right – debuts her first global beauty
label endorsement for the World’s No. 1 Makeup Brand, Maybelline New York,
as its newest Maybelline Girl.

Half-American,
half-Filipina, Liza embodies a unique mix of youthfulness, style, and boldness that
makes her the perfect fit for Maybelline New York. With the brand’s continued
vision to inspire young girls to achieve their dreams with confidence and
beauty, Liza represents those who are passionate,
motivated, and determined to succeed and Make It Happen in life.

With the new, notable
anthem of Maybelline that embodies the very spirit of the brand called ‘Make It
Happen’, Liza perfectly represents the philosophy and lifestyle of
empowered girls who never settle for anything less than the best.

“Liza
exhibits what Maybelline is all about - inspiring young girls, like herself, to
make their dreams happen with beauty and confidence,” shares
Cary Co, Marketing Manager of Maybelline New York. “Liza Soberano, the newest
face of Maybelline, joins the brand’s roster of global ambassadors such as Gigi
Hadid, Emily Didonato, Jourdan Dunn – confident women who are bold, fierce, and
allows beauty to take them places – the mark of a true Maybelline Girl.”

Liza discovered her love for beauty and even
fashion at an early age, starting with modeling for print ads and then taking
on different roles for television and film. “When
I first started in the show business, I was very shy! I couldn’t even smile
right in front of the camera,” shares Liza. “Throughout the years, I’ve grown
up in front of the limelight as a model and an actress and I believe makeup
plays an important part in building the confidence to feel beautiful. I believe
that women should feel confident innately, and makeup helps women, like me,
because it gives them the extra boost that they need.”

Liza expressed
excitement and gratitude to Maybelline for giving her the opportunity to
inspire more and more young Filipinas to define their beauty, express
themselves with confidence, and make their mark in life. “Maybelline New York has always been a dream brand for
me, it’s the makeup I’ve grown up with from my very first lip balm, to my first
mascara, up to discovering today more amazing Maybelline products that
perfectly complement the lifestyle of girls in this day and age,” shares Liza.
“It’s so exciting to be part of the fun, fearless, and hottest squad of Maybelline
Girls! I’m honored to take on this new role as the new ambassador for
Maybelline Philippines, proudly representing a brand that sparks
courage and fuels the belief that beauty and confidence can take girls from all
walks of life to places –you can make it happen.”

For more information about Maybelline New
York, please visit www.facebook.com/MaybellinePhilippines.
Want to know more about the latest from our Maybelline Girl? Follow Maybelline
New York Philippines’ newest Maybelline Girl, Liza Soberano, starting this
August 2016 on her official Instagram account, @lizasoberano.

Wednesday, August 03, 2016

The panda's dream has finally come true!!! Tony Moly was pleased to announce that their Panda's Dream line is now a full range of makeup and skincare, with reformulations and improvements done on already existing products in the product line.

They invited bloggers and members of the press and media to a fun filled afternoon at One Shangri-la to discuss the latest Korean trends, show the new products, and there was also a special mission!

Monday, August 01, 2016

Ivanna is a very, very lucky girl. How many girls will actually get their makeup done by Solenn Heussaff? And for the world to see for that matter?

I told Ivanna (the model) that her family should already be preparing the lechon because it's not everyday one's daughter becomes Solenn's doll. If I were in her shoes, my family would surely be calling all our relatives for a major major party hahahaha.

And as for why all this has happened, well let's do a recap. For one, Solenn is the current Pinay L'Oréal makeup designer. Being the Makeup Designer shows that she is a makeup expert in her own light. She went to makeup school in France and has professional makeup knowhow. Her job is to not just sit down and have someone doll her up, her job encompasses that. She is meant to be the Philippine definition of a smart, sophisticated influencer and trendsetter in makeup trends. Have you ever seen an endorser do her makeup tutorials? Well, before Solenn, you probably haven't.

Such is the importance of her first ever live workshop/makeup tutorial for L'Oréal Paris that she really took the time to share her pearls of wisdom in makeup.

Monday, August 01, 2016

All hail the queens!!! Everybody's Mara Clara feels were unearthed a few Sundays back as they had a big reveal of Kathryn as AirOptix's first ever Filipina endorser!!! She now joins Julia Montes as one of Alcon's muses (and I guess this is also saying that Alcon is continuing its relationship with Julia Montes as Freshlook's endorser, so yaaaay!). Alcon is probably a name you've never heard of, but in actuality, probably most of the eye drops and solutions you've used are from Alcon. Alcon is the world leader in eye care and eye medical instruments, so yeah, there's that.

Monday, August 01, 2016

It's my second time to meet the queen!!! Everybody was so excited to attend Liza Soberano's Pretty In White Panty for Carefree last July 2 at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura. As for why this is appearing only now on the blog is because I got soooo busy over a secret project! I was able to upload my event vlog like three days after the event, but this blog post got stuck in the backlogs because of my secret project.

The Blogger

Mari is a random human who likes cats, makeup, and having an online playground. Doll Up Mari is the place where you, ehem, doll up Mari. This is a Pinay beauty blog run by a citizen living in the Philippines who is still looking for a less grand term than Pinay Beauty Guru to refer to herself.

Mari is still figuring out how to use a management degree while drowning in kitty fur and can work part time as a PR strategist aside from her meow-my duties.